Happy Friday, Gentle Readers,
I pray this missive finds you well. I also hope you have fun plans for Labor Day. I intend to keep to my backyard with some good music and good booze since I saw the number of boats, campers, and RVs filing onto the highway this morning. Good luck and Godspeed to them all.
Never say die, say DEI
It is true that we are facing a nail-biter of an election. If you spend too much time reading the news, you either think that Trump is stampeding to victory, the polls are less reliable than the media, and Melania should start thinking about remodeling the White House right now so she can be ready as soon as the Bidens depart.
Or you think that we are all doomed, just like Glenn Beck says, and we should prepare for armageddon, civil war, and the next Great Depression. Right after we call him to hire a real estate agent.
We may well be doomed, but while the Big Picture may look ominous, we are actually mounting a somewhat successful effort on the ground.
DEI is losing steam, not just with large corporations but also on college campuses and in American life. It is one of those battles that we are winning despite the fact that it does not get much press. One fact that testifies to the veracity of this assertion is the fact that DEI/gender proponents are having to dig deeper and look harder to find ways to implement a doctrine that is running out of steam and sagging in popularity.
For example, the Vermont Department of Health wants parents to stop calling their children "son" or "daughter." Instead, sons and daughters should be referred to as "kids," which is more inclusive. Vermonters are also being instructed to use the term "family members" instead of "household members" and "family" instead of "extended family."
The Vermont Department of Health put out a post informing families that they shouldn't call their child "son" or "daughter" because it isn't "inclusive" enough.
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) August 28, 2024
Yes, this is real. pic.twitter.com/Izt5neY1bS
Fox News Digital contacted the department and learned that the post was "intended to encourage using inclusive language when you don't know someone's family situation." And while you didn't ask, the department has a "health equity glossary." It also defines internalized racism as "a set of private beliefs, prejudices, and ideas that individuals have about the superiority of whites and the inferiority of people of color."
Of course it does.
This story tells me two things. First, the next round of grant and funding applications is likely due at the Vermont Department of Health, and someone has to justify their existence. Second, the DEI folx in the Green Mountain State are running out of patriarchal bugs to squash.
Speaking of squashing bugs...
Last week, Mrs. Brown and I were relaxing on the patio when I got up out of my chair, only to find that a large spider had parked itself under my posterior to escape the August sun. It had a rather odd appearance, and when I swept it off my chair, we realized that it had been carrying its offspring on my back, and they scattered in all directions.
When my wife recovered from her disgust, she commented, "You realize you probably have babies all over your butt." I congratulated her on being the first person ever to utter that sentence in the English language. Then I changed my pants. Now I need to call an exterminator. But I need to make sure it is a socially acceptable exterminator.
Believe it or not, Cornell University is concerned about the lack of DEI in the field of integrated pest management, also known as IPM. It is so concerned about it that, according to Campus Reform, the school will host a “DEI in IPM Panel Discussion” on October 29.
This panel will explore a unique Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) perspective; best practices of DEI; an opportunity to learn how to implement change in light of the anti-DEI legislation, and how it’s affecting experiences across the country. We will provide the necessary examples that will equip you to be a more informed leader with DEI in mind and lean into how to support your administration, faculty, staff and students in an anti-DEI climate. This session will give participants an opportunity to think through real-life diversity, equity and inclusion scenarios, and help create a network for you to turn to when addressing DEI issues.
Looking at the website, there are precisely two people interested in attending as of this writing. As in the situation above, the powers that be are running out of outrage and are digging deep to find another vein of DEI to mine, anywhere.
I think I speak for most Americans when I say that when it comes to pest control, I don't care about a person's skin color, religion, race, ethnicity, sex, orientation, or even pronouns. I want them to make the bugs go away. The only time DEI might be an issue is if the cockroaches decide they identify as cocker spaniels or golden retrievers. Then all bets are off. Another problem may be determining the cockroaches' pronouns. In that case, someone may want to contact the Vermont Department of Health for suggestions.
Wine recommendation
Because you need a glass of something good to say farewell to summer.
I know, I know, people traditionally drink beer over Labor Day Weekend. I'm sure I'll get around to doing that, but I can only review one type of alcohol at a time. In this case, I present you with the 2021 14 Hands Merlot from the Columbia Valley.
This is a blend consisting of anywhere between 78% to 96% Merlot, with the rest being Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Syrah, Grenache, and Cabernet Franc. The winery actually gets its varietals from different areas in Washington State. Our bottle was well-structured with some red fruits, a little coffee here and there, and a dash of oak. It is a nice, dry red, with medium tannins and tending to the softer side, with a little hint of acidity. All in all, a nice, mellow, and drinkable wine.
Technically, summer is not officially over, and if your weather is anything like ours, you still have a few months left to grill. But since the weekend marks the ceremonial end of summer, this would be the perfect bottle to bring to the "last" barbecue of the season, since it would complement a nice, medium-rare steak very well.
That's it for me. Have a great weekend and holiday, and I'll see you next time.
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